


Close Second

by Eupraxia (starfireone3)



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Cheating, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-18
Updated: 2011-11-18
Packaged: 2017-10-26 05:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/279407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starfireone3/pseuds/Eupraxia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seamus is used to coming in second.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Close Second

**Author's Note:**

  * For [orpheous87](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=orpheous87).



> Written for Emofest in 09.
> 
> This is based on the assumption that Ginny and Dean were together at the end of OotP after, she broke up with what's his face. It's playing on the off-again/on-again vibe they have in HBP. I'd like to thank my beta Vanseedee @lj (You're wonderful. Thanks for all the help) any mistakes still in there are mine.

Seamus has always been second. When playing sports he is never the first picked—never the last, but still never the first. When people think of boys in Gryffindor’s fifth year there are two groups; naturally, Seamus is in the second. And Seamus knows that his parents hadn’t exactly planned for his arrival. It doesn’t matter; Seamus can handle it. And when Dean started dating Ginny, Seamus thought that he could handle that as well.

It started well enough. There were just a few dissatisfied rumblings when he noticed Dean drawing Ginny. It wasn't the subject alone that bothered Seamus: the picture, while realistic was also obscenely saccharine.

He tried not to stare at the streaks of charcoal across thick, creamy paper. He tried not to wonder why Ginny was a more interesting subject than he was. He tried not to dream about the possibility of Deans fingertips—stained the color of newsprint—ghosting lovingly over his skin like as if it were paper or vellum or canvas. He refused to think about how much he wanted Dean to dream him into oil paint brilliance, layers upon layers of thick feeling, smears upon smears of emotion blending together into one portrait of love. Seamus could ignore all that; he told himself he could handle it.

When Dean looked at Seamus in the common room one day, eyes bright and clear and dark all at the same time, filled with a tender and pensive sort of emotion that Seamus didn't want to think about, and asked, “It’s good, yeah?” Seamus felt like those clear and dark and bright were looking straight through him.

Seamus answered all the same, “It’s real good, mate.” And told himself that, yes, he could handle it.

The first time Seamus saw Dean actually talking to Ginny, standing a little bit closer than friends, eyes a little too bright, hands moving a bit to quickly, smile flashing a bit to easily, the rumbling turned into a soft sort of ache that spread all through his body, radiating out from his gut. Hands skimmed hands, and Seamus ignored the jolt of jealousy the electric shock between their flesh sent through him. Eyes locked meaningfully, sharing secret smiles, and Seamus pushed down all the smiles he wanted to share with Dean, full of secrets and yearning and love.

Dean turned to Seamus, one of those first weekends, eyes wide. “You’re not going to Hogsmeade, Shay?”

Seamus thought about the possibility of spending an afternoon, watching Dean and Ginny dance around each other and flopped down onto his bed with a grunted, “Not this time, Dean-y.”

“I’ll bring you something back then.” Dean shrugged. Seamus didn’t see the worried gleam in Dean’s eyes, but Seamus' heart still skiped a beat at the idea of Dean thinking enough of him to bring him something back.

The first time Seamus went to a D.A. meeting, he did it not because he believed Harry or had a fight with his mother earlier in the week, not because Umbridge was the worst Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher he had ever had (counting Lockhart), but because Dean had asked him to go. He hadn’t expected to see Dean hold hands with Ginny at the meeting, though and the sight sent pain through him, white-hot and worse than any curse he could think off. He did not look at Dean or Ginny for the rest of the evening. He missed the look of pain that flickered across Dean’s face when Dean tried to get his attention to show him something amazing and awesome and wicked, but he didn’t miss the glares that Ron was frequently directing towards Cho Chang. It moved Seamus to know that he wasn’t alone.

The first time Seamus saw Dean and Ginny argue his heart leapt into his throat. There’s a struggle within him, two sides playing tug-off war with his emotions. He wasn't sure if he was terrified of the idea of Dean’s heart being broken, or if he was terrified of the possibility of this fight bringing them closer together. Seamus snorted; all this over Dean pulling out Ginny’s chair.

The second time Seamus saw Dean pull out Ginny’s chair had to be deliberate, down to timing it for when Ginny’s just gotten back from Umbridge’s class. This time, Dean and Ginny did break up, and when Dean walked morosely to their dorm Seamus followed.

He follows Dean to where he is sitting on his bed and Seamus sits down unceremoniously. He stares at Dean for a moment before kissing him. He doesn't know why he does it; it might be because he wanted a chance before Ginny's got Dean back or it could be because of the way Dean's slouched sort of pitifully next to him, but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that Dean’s lips are dry but soft and pliable. They are the fullest lips that Seamus has ever kissed. It’s that thought, that makes Seamus realize that Dean is kissing back and Seamus presses his lips tighter against Dean’s like he’s trying to make an airtight seal. It gives Dean a shock and suddenly they are looking at each other from a distance that Seamus really isn't okay with.

"Sorry," Dean said voice all air, "I don't know why I did that." For moment a Seamus thought he meant kissing back but then Dean smiled. "It was good."

“It’s alright.” Seamus shruged and leaned back into Dean. Their second kiss started slower with the brief brush of Seamus fingertips against Dean’s jawline, followed by the tentative press of lips, and Dean’s fingers twining in Seamus' dirty-blond hair. Dean's smell was a mixture of vanilla bean, like the Muggle after-shave that he used and the smoky woody scent of the fire starting spell they were practicing in Charms. Dean's tongue skimmed across Seamus’ lips, soft and damp. Seamus opens his mouth to him, and soon Dean’s tongue is running along the back of his teeth, tickling the roof of his mouth.

Dean's hand went to the hem of Seamus’ shirt and tugged gently, before fingertips slipped under it. Dean’s fingertips were cool against what Seamus feels must be the scorching heat of his own skin. Dean’s fingers trail up Seamus' side, leaving pinpricks of awareness in their wake. Then Dean’s thumb is circling Seamus’ nipple, and Seamus is arching into him, and then there are voices on the stairs. They stop, flushed and panting, and Seamus barely makes it back to his own bed before the door opens.

The next day, Dean gets back together with Ginny and he snogs Seamus in an empty classroom that night. Seamus thinks he’s getting a handle on being second best.


End file.
